A new editor and a new team for JCI Insight

This issue marks the first transition of the editorial board of JCI Insight from its founding site at Duke University to its new home at the University of Michigan. Launched by a team led by Howard Rockman less than four years ago, the ASCI’s newest journal has succeeded in providing an important forum for high-quality research papers. The early success of the journal can be measured by an impressive initial impact factor that reached just above 6.

On behalf of the new JCI Insight editorial board and staff, we wish the Duke-based board the best and welcome the opportunity to build on what has worked well. In addition to submitting directly to JCI Insight, authors can submit manuscripts reviewed externally elsewhere, accompanied by reviewer comments, for consideration. In many cases, the journal will continue to invite manuscripts reviewed and rejected by the JCI for potential publication in JCI Insight. It’s clear that authors have welcomed the opportunity to facilitate rapid reporting of high-quality, high-impact research.

JCI Insight’s success comes at an opportune time when emerging technologies will enable greater insights into disease pathogenesis using clinical samples. Our board aims to provide a forum for new technologies as well as patient-based studies that employ them to uncover insights into disease pathogenesis, biomarkers, and treatment. ASCI members are an important source of this research, and we welcome their interest and engagement. To encourage this connection, we will continue the policy established by the prior board for guaranteed review of up to three research manuscripts per year submitted by ASCI members. Similarly, in recognition of the contributions of our reviewer community, we will also continue the reviewer rewards program, which allows frequent reviewers to designate one submission for guaranteed external review. For both programs, each manuscript is ultimately subject to the same rigorous editorial review process prior to publishing. To encourage physician-scientist training, we plan to develop a JCI Insight Scholars Program for physician-scientist trainees at the University of Michigan, analogous to a successful program developed at Johns Hopkins University by the JCI board. Selected trainees will shadow board members during a three-month supervised rotation on the JCI Insight board.

Most importantly, as the new Editor in Chief, I will complete the maturation of JCI Insight by providing an expanded board with additional subject matter expertise to evaluate the rapidly growing number of direct manuscript submissions. I am delighted that our new editorial team provides broad scientific expertise as well as in-depth editorial experience. Ten of the eighteen editorial board members are ASCI members, and four are both ASCI and AAP members. Each editor is committed to his/her role and is enthusiastic about bringing JCI Insight to the next level. Our vision is to report original impactful discoveries that uphold the high standards expected by ASCI members, authors, and the readership. The strength of the incoming board, which includes deputy editors, Andrew Lieberman, Donna Martin, and Pavan Reddy, will ensure success in achieving our goals.

I am very excited about the challenge and responsibility of further enhancing the status and impact of JCI Insight. I look forward to working with the JCI Insight editorial board members, the JCI Insight staff, and the ASCI organization. JCI Insight is still relatively young, and my goal is to build on what Dr. Rockman and his team have accomplished, to expand the content, and to enhance the impact of the journal.

Footnotes

Copyright: © 2019 American Society for Clinical Investigation

Reference information: JCI Insight. 2019;4(17):e132119. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.132119.